Peshawar: Arrest warrants for Taliban, TNSM leaders issued

PESHAWAR: An anti-terrorism court on Monday issued non-bailable arrest warrants for 34 Tanzim Nifaz Shariat-e-Muhammadi (TNSM) and Swat Taliban leaders for non-compliance with the court order to appear in a case.

The case was registered against TNSM Chief Maulana Sufi Muhammad and others for anti-state and anti-judiciary speeches at the Grassy Ground in Mingora, Swat in 2009.

MaulanaSufiMuhammad, his three sons Hayatullah, Rizwanullah and Ziaullah and another TNSM leader MuftiSafiullah appeared in the SwatAnti-Terrorism Court headed by SyedAsim Imam in the case. However, 34 others who had delivered anti-state and anti-judiciary speeches were absent from the court.

The judge issued non-bailable arrest warrants for the accused and directed the local police station to produce them handcuffed in the next hearing on January 10. In April 2009, TNSM Chief MaulanaSufiMuhammad in his speech in Swat stated: “All courts of Pakistan are un-Islamic and unconstitutional and verdicts of Shariahcourts cannot be challenged in these courts.” He had said that peace could be ensured by enforcing an Islamic system and those who opposed the Nizam-e-Adl were no longer Muslims. The term ‘Nizam-e-Adl’ refers to the Nizam-e-Adl Regulation 2009 that ratified the Shariah-for-peace deal into law.

Maulana Sufi Muhammad had also declared: “According to the Pakistani Constitution, the Quran and Sunnah are the country’s supreme law and no decision can be made in contravention of it. However, it is sad that till today, no decision has been made in the SupremeCourt and the highcourts as per the Quran and Sunnah.” The SaiduSharifPoliceStation had registered the first information report against the TNSMchief and other activists and SwatTalibanleaders, who addressed the public gathering at GrassyGround.